


Truth - Aftermath

by PrehistoricCat



Series: Truth [3]
Category: Primeval
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 12:38:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14213331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrehistoricCat/pseuds/PrehistoricCat
Summary: Jess is concerned about Adam when she realises that all is not well between Abby and Matt





	Truth - Aftermath

“Is everything OK, sweetie?” Jess asked, concerned as she watched Adam pick at his food. He usually devoured the fish fingers and chips she made for the two boys when it was her turn to pick them up from their judo class.

 

“Yes, Auntie Jess. I'm just not hungry, that's all.”

 

Jess frowned. Adam was definitely not himself and hadn't been for several days. She suspected something had happened between Matt and Abby since they seemed to be completely avoiding each other at work, and guessed that was why Adam was unhappy.

 

“If you're sure, just this once you can leave your food and go and play with Reece.” She let the boys scurry out of the kitchen and began to clear the plates away, lost in her thoughts. When Abby had said she was inviting Matt over for dinner on Valentine's weekend, she had high hopes it was the start of something for them. It was as plain as day that they liked each other and enjoyed each other's company, they just needed a nudge in the right direction. So when she took Matt his coffee on that Monday morning she expected him to have that 'in love' glow, but he barely looked up from his computer. When Abby arrived and shut herself away in her office, it quickly became obvious that something had gone wrong.

 

Maybe Abby and Matt hadn't realised that Adam had picked up on whatever their issue was. He was generally a quiet kid anyway and it was very unlikely he'd have said something. There was only one thing Jess could do, and that was tell Abby when she came to pick him up. It was none of her business if Matt and Abby were having problems, but it was her business if Adam was unhappy.

 

Abby arrived half an hour later and Jess ushered her into the kitchen for a chat. “You can tell me to shut up if you like,” Jess began. “But I'm worried about Adam.”

 

“Oh?” Abby sat down. “In what way?”

 

Jess cleared her throat and sat opposite Abby. “I know you and Matt have had some kind of argument... I think Adam's upset.”

 

Abby sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Matt hasn't been round since Valentine's weekend. He needs to get his head round something... I don't want to push him. If I'd known Adam was missing him so much, I'd have asked Matt to pick him up from school and chat to him. Thank you for telling me, Jess.” She stood up, flustered and desperate to leave.

 

“Abby. Sit down. Talk to me. I thought you and Matt were.... You were going to tell him how you felt. I was so certain he felt the same?”

 

Hesitating, Abby glanced at the door, then closed it so they could chat in private without the boys hearing. “I'm an idiot,” she finally said, sitting back down. “I kissed him, he kissed me back, and it was all going really well. I actually felt alive for the first time in years, and … yes, we could have very easily ended up in bed together.”

 

“But?”

 

“I panicked, and pushed him away.”

 

“It's understandable, Abby,” Jess said, reaching for her friend's hand. “If you haven't been with anyone since Connor, then moving on with someone else is a huge step, and I'm sure Matt understands that too. He doesn't seem the kind of man that would walk away just because you got cold feet about moving on to the next stage of your relationship. You need to talk to him...”

 

“There's a bit more to it though.” Abby paused, then looked Jess in the eyes. “I can't believe I'm going to tell you this but I'm tired of all the secrets. It's destroying my relationship with Matt.” She took a deep breath. “He's Adam's real father. He's suspected for a long time but finally confronted me with the question. Now he's angry with me for keeping it all a secret for so long and letting him miss out on being a father to Adam.”

 

Jess's eyes widened as she took in what she was hearing. Adam had been born in Canada, how could... “I don't understand... You got pregnant before you went to Vancouver?”

 

Abby nodded, and then it all came spilling out; the problems she and Connor had been having, her leaning on Matt's shoulder and the one night stand, and then how she'd managed to keep it secret and let Connor believe he was Adam's father. “I'm not proud of the way I've done things,” she finally said. “But the longer I left it, the harder it became to say something to Matt.”

 

“You need to sort this out, Abby.” Jess said. “If nothing else, Matt has a right to at least spend time with Adam. They already have a relationship, and Adam is clearly missing having Matt around.”

 

“I know. I'm scared I'll lose everything though, Jess. Matt could apply for custody and take him away and....” She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and realised she was being silly. Of course Matt wouldn't take Adam away, but it still didn't stop her worrying.

 

There was a tiny knock at the kitchen door, and a small head with a mop of dark hair peered round. “Mummy....”

 

“Reece, sweetie... Auntie Abby and I are talking...”

 

“It's important. Adam... he's gone.”

 

“What do you mean, gone?” Abby stood up.

 

“He said he was going to look for Uncle Matt and he went out through the conservatory door. I told him he should come and ask you but he said you'd be angry with him because you didn't like Uncle Matt any more.”

 

“Oh god!” Abby rushed past Reece and headed to the conservatory with Jess not far behind. “He won't have got far, Abby,” she tried to reassure. “He'll just be hiding in the garden somewhere when he realised he couldn't get out.”

 

Abby was frantic, calling Adam's name as both women looked under furniture, under the bushes and in the small shed at the back of the garden. Then Jess noticed that the gate was slightly open. She raced out, round the side of the house to the driveway, looking up and the down the length of the street calling Adam's name. Several of Jess's neighbours came out, none had seen him but they all started searching, checking their own gardens and calling Adam's name. After what felt like a lifetime, Jess decided to take control.

 

“We should call the police, Abby. A six year old won't have got far, but we need help.”

 

Abby nodded, shaking as she listened to Jess speaking to the local police station. Her head was spinning, Adam had said he was going to find Matt, so where would he be going? Only Matt could answer that, so she swallowed down her fear and dialled Matt's number. Relieved that he answered within just a couple of rings instead of letting it go to voicemail, she broke down in tears and had to pass the phone to Jess.

 

##

 

Matt stood in the middle of the playground, desperately scanning all around him for a sign of Adam. This was all his fault. No matter how angry he was with Abby, he shouldn't have cut off his ties to Adam. Jess had said Adam was looking for him, so he tried to think of all the places he'd taken Adam to recently. Jess and the neighbours were all concentrating on the street, and the police were checking the area behind the houses, an old farmhouse and out buildings. Matt just felt that the park was a more likely place for Adam to head to, though it was now beginning to rain and he did think that would bring Adam out into the open if he was hiding somewhere.

 

Matt felt sick. What if something terrible had happened? You heard about children disappearing all the time, either to be never seen again or their tiny bodies being found in a river or pond, or hidden in the woods. He would never forgive himself.

 

He spotted a police car park up at the far side of the area fenced off for the playground equipment, and two police officers got out with a large dog. They were stepping up the search too. He wasn't sure if he felt reassured or more worried.

  
“Adam!” Matt called. “Come on, Mate. We're all worried about you and you won't get into trouble if you come out now. I'll take you home and you and I can have a nice long chat about whatever you want to. That's a promise.” Matt had hoped that would be enough to bring the boy out of hiding but there was no sign of any movement. Then Matt had an idea. A few weeks ago, he'd taken Adam down to the stream that ran alongside the park and they'd found a hollowed out tree where they sat for a while eating ice cream. Matt ran as fast as he could, and his heart leapt. Adam was sat curled up inside the tree, crying so hard he could barely breathe.

 

“Your mum is worried sick about you!” Matt declared, “What's all this about coming to find me, eh?” He went over to the tree and Adam threw his arms around his neck, burying his head against Matt's chest and sobbing loudly. “It's OK, mate. It's OK.”

 

He scooped the boy up into his arms and carried him, pulling his phone out of his pocket to call Abby. “I've got him, Abby.”

 

##

 

It took lots of cuddles, a long bath, a story and promises to go out for the day at the weekend before Adam finally let go of Matt's hand and went to sleep. It had been a horrible few hours for all of them, and Matt was relieved to finally leave Adam. There was still Abby though. She looked dreadful. If he'd been to hell this evening, then she had been there at least three times over. Her terror at the thought of losing Adam had turned to guilt that she had been partly responsible for her son's unhappiness. Grateful that Matt had found him with nothing worse than wet clothes from the rain, she had driven them home, made hot drinks and let Matt do what he needed to do to calm the boy's fears that he wasn't leaving.

 

“Let me get you a beer,” Abby said, looking up as Matt came into the lounge. “You look like you need one.”

 

“I'm fine. Mind if I sit with you?” He sat next to her, burying his head in his hands. To his surprise, Abby moved closer, rubbed his back. He looked up, made eye contact and then they hugged each other. Abby was not one for showing emotions, but she couldn't help finally letting out the tears she'd been holding back. Matt just held onto her, allowing his own tears to fall too for a moment, pulling himself together as Abby tightened her grip on him. He stroked her hair and then she looked up, pulling him into a kiss, one they both needed.

 

“We've both been idiots,” Matt whispered.

 

“Won't argue with that,” Abby responded. “I should have told you the truth about Adam a long time ago. We need to make a proper arrangement for you to spend time with him, and eventually tell him the truth too – when he's old enough to understand.”

 

“I just want to be a part of his life, Abby. And if today teaches us anything, it should be that he needs me around too.”

 

“I know, and you will be. Whatever happens with us.”

 

Matt leaned back. “And what about us?”

 

Abby followed, letting her hand settle lightly on his chest and her fingers slide into the gap between shirt buttons. “That's something else I was an idiot over. I pushed you away because I got scared. This is... this is all alien to me.”

 

Matt reached up and cupped her face with his hand. “Want to try again?”

 

Abby nodded, leaning in and settling into Matt's embrace as they kissed again, tongues dancing as their bodies pressed together. The kiss deepened, and both began to breathe harder until, after several long minutes, Abby broke the connection and stood up, holding out her hand. Matt didn't need to be asked, he simply took her hand and allowed himself to be led into her bedroom.

 


End file.
